Latest medichecks

[jodary]

I have just had a medichecks blood test and the results are confusing. Both this test and my last test in October 2024 were done at 8.30 thyroxine taken after the test and nothing but water before.

Octobers results

TSH O.962 ( O.27-4.2)

T4 24.9 (12-22)

T3 3.9(3.1-6.8)

Ferritin 165 (30-332)

Folate 19.6(>7)

VitB12. 88.5(>37.5)

Vit D 52.5 (50-250 )

This week’s results

TSH 0.136,

T4 26

T3 5.3

Ferritin 122

Folate. 17

VitB12 79.6

Vit D 38 Same ranges.

So although my vitamins are slightly lower my conversion has improved quite a lot.Is this strange asT4 only slightly more elevated? I do need to work on Vit D are the other vitamins ok? I don’t know why my T3 has improved so much . I think that’s the highest I’ve ever had . Am still on the same dose 100mcg which has been my dose for a long time. Any advice please

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Vitamin D is extremely low

B12 and folate need support too

Did you test TPO and TG antibodies

Low vitamin D

Most thyroid patients need to supplement vitamin D continuously all year

U.K. government recommends everyone supplement vitamin D daily at least Oct to April

GP will often only prescribe to bring vitamin D levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol or even 80nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

But improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Test twice yearly when supplementing

Can test via NHS private testing service

vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function.

There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7.

One spray = 1000iu

amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

panmerseyapc.nhs.uk/media/2...

Web links about taking important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Recipe ideas

bbc.co.uk/food/articles/mag...

Interesting article by Dr Malcolm Kendrick on magnesium

drmalcolmkendrick.org/categ...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Low folate

Suggest you start supplementing a good quality daily vitamin B complex, one with folate in (not folic acid)

This can help keep all B vitamins in balance and will help improve B12 levels too

Difference between folate and folic acid

healthline.com/nutrition/fo...

B vitamins best taken after breakfast

Igennus B complex popular option. Nice small tablets. Most people only find they need one per day. But a few people find it’s not high enough dose and may need 2 per day and/or may need separate methyl folate couple times a week

Post discussing different B complex

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

IMPORTANT......If you are taking vitamin B complex, or any supplements containing biotin, remember to stop these 5-7 days before ALL BLOOD TESTS , as biotin can falsely affect test results

endocrinenews.endocrine.org...

In week before blood test, when you stop vitamin B complex, you might want to consider taking a separate folate supplement (eg Jarrow methyl folate 400mcg) and continue separate B12 if last test result serum B12 was below 500 or active B12 (private test) under 70

[jodary in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you . Any thoughts on why T3 has improved so much when all those vitamins are lower than they were when my T3 was so low previously.? 3.9 last time and 5.3 now the vitamins are lower ? Thanks

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to jodary]

Well looking at previous posts

You don’t have high thyroid antibodies

But could still have Hashimoto’s

Worth getting ultrasound scan if possible

20% of Hashimoto's patients never have raised antibodies

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Paul Robson on atrophied thyroid - especially if no TPO antibodies

paulrobinsonthyroid.com/cou...

You were experimenting with small reduction in Levo 2-3 months ago. This could have improved conversion and/or resulted in significant reduction in vitamin levels

How old are you

Peri menopause ?

Post menopause ?

[jodary in reply to SlowDragon]

Post menopausal, late 60s . Always been on 100mcg. Have always felt awful on less but never tried just 75mcg on one day so maybe will try that .

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to jodary]

As we get older sometimes need less levothyroxine

Is your weight stable

[helvella Administrator in reply to SlowDragon]

Are we sure that is true?

I know we have seen some claims it is so but at least some of them have been arguing against diagnosis of hypothyroidism in older people - rather than those already diagnosed needing less.

And if any change is due to lower activity, or other such factors, then it is those factors which need to be considered - not age.

And the Thyroid Patients Canada page has a detailed list of references which is important when members and/or doctors want to know more.

thyroidpatients.ca/2018/12/...

[jodary in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes it’s stable. But I have always had high T4 and low T3 until this blood test. Will have to see what it does next time

[helvella Administrator in reply to SlowDragon]

Amazing how fourteen years ago the story was that older people were missing out on thyroid medicine!!!

100,000 older people missing thyroid treatment - study

BBC News Health

24th January 2011

bbc.co.uk/news/health-12252813

"Around 100,000 older people in the UK are missing out on thyroid medicine that could improve their lives, according to a study.

The Journal of Medical Screening study examined women over 50 and men over 65 - and found 8% had underactive thyroids.

But many were not getting treatment for symptoms, including lethargy and weight gain.

Researchers, at the Wolfson Institute, said screening would improve lives."

Read the rest of the BBC article here:

bbc.co.uk/news/health-12252813

Read the abstract of the actual study referred to here:

A randomized double-blind crossover trial to investigate the efficacy of screening for adult hypothyroidism

jms.rsmjournals.com/cgi/con...

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[SlowDragon Ambassador]

Retest thyroid and vitamin levels in 2-3 months

If Ft4 remains slightly over range look at reducing Levo a SMALL amount…..eg 75mcg one day a week and 100mcg 6 days

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine at each prescription

[jodary in reply to SlowDragon]

Yes always the same brand but seems to have pushed the T3 up to say it’s the same dose. Just curious about how the vitamins are all lower this time and T3 considerably improved .

[SlowDragon Ambassador in reply to jodary]

I think that’s a bit of a coincidence

Have you been getting fitter? Or doing more exercise

Or less exercise?

[jodary in reply to SlowDragon]

I can honestly say nothing different. I’ve never had t3 at that level before. I was very surprised . I wish I knew what I’d done so I could carry on doing it. I was getting to the point where I was going to try and source T3 !